+

Cookies on the Business Insider India website

Business Insider India has updated its Privacy and Cookie policy. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the better experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we\'ll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the Business Insider India website. However, you can change your cookie setting at any time by clicking on our Cookie Policy at any time. You can also see our Privacy Policy.

Close
HomeQuizzoneWhatsappShare Flash Reads
 

This is the reason why Greek beaches aren't seeing their usual average of 2,000 daily refugees right now

Dec 30, 2015, 21:51 IST

The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) confirmed today that more than one million immigrants have reached Europe by sea since the start of 2015, compared to 219,000 in 2014.

Advertisement

The organisation showed on its website that the number of immigrants - which include those fleeing from war, people seeking asylum and those classified as economic migrants by the government because they are seeking better lives and jobs without necessarily seeking asylum status - primarily arrived by sea in October.

There was a large drop off this month but there is only one reason for this - bad weather.

Firstly, here's the chart showing the drop off since October:

UN

Advertisement

As the BBC demonstrated in its video report from the Greek island of Lesbos, usually around 2,000 migrants arrive on the island's shores daily from nearby Turkey.

However, the extraordinarily rough seas is preventing them from making the trip and the beaches are empty:

BBC

It is hardly surprising in a way that the beaches would be empty today. The UN said in its report today that out of the 1,000,573 arrivals by sea in 2015, there were 3,735 dead or missing refugees.

Paul Adams, the BBC presenter in the picture, also highlighted in his video report that dotted along the beach were "little reminders of just how dangerous and violent these waters can be":

Advertisement

BBC

NOW WATCH: Donald Trump and Jeb Bush viciously attacked one another at the GOP debate

Please enable Javascript to watch this video
You are subscribed to notifications!
Looks like you've blocked notifications!
Next Article